The 22nd International Conference for Women in Business (ICWB) will be held in Tokyo in July against an ever more challenging, yet dynamic and vibrant backdrop.
2016 was a milestone year in two ways in terms of the social conditions surrounding women in the workforce. First, the year marked the 30th anniversary since the equal employment opportunity law came into force. Additionally, 2016 saw a new law to enhance the employment and promotion of women took effect under the initiative of the administration led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In a bid to increase possibilities for women, the new law set specific numerical targets, which was a step forward for Japan, a country that ranked 101st out of 145 countries in the 2015 Global Gender Gap Index by the World Economic Forum.